novelsite Chapter 68 Matrix Armor
Chapter 68 Matrix Armor
This is why Wang Zhengyang had to do it personally. Only his mechanical affinity could penetrate into the nanoscale world of the metal the instant after laser etching, repairing the microscopic damage, guiding the crystal lattice to rearrange in an orderly manner, and eliminating internal stress. He wasn't "processing" the metal, but "healing" it, allowing the circuitry of the Thunder Matrix to truly integrate with the armor body, becoming its naturally extended "nervous system."
The laser head began to move, emitting a barely audible high-frequency hum. The first high-energy laser beam focused on the upper left corner of the armor plate, instantly vaporizing the metal surface and sending up a wisp of almost invisible metallic vapor that was quickly dispersed by the lateral cooling airflow.
Deep within Wang Zhengyang's consciousness, change began.
At the laser-burned points, the intense vibrations of metal atoms, like a stone thrown into calm water, create powerful ripples. These ripples propagate at supersonic speeds within the metal lattice, interfering with, reflecting, and superimposing with the background vibrations. Wang Zhengyang's "consciousness tentacles" keenly capture these fluctuations and begin to exert their influence. He doesn't forcibly suppress them, but rather, like the most skilled animal tamer, guides the energy of these fluctuations, directing them along predetermined pathways rather than scattering them randomly. In this way, a significant portion of the thermal effects and stress waves generated by the etching are pre-guided and dissipated, minimizing damage to the surrounding area.
Meanwhile, another part of his consciousness followed about five centimeters behind the laser head. There lay the newly etched groove area, the metal still in a metastable state of high temperature and violent vibration. His mechanical affinity permeated it, like the finest comb smoothing the disordered crystal lattice arrangement; like the most precise welding torch repairing broken atomic bonds; like the gentlest pusher gently pushing the grains deformed by thermal expansion back into their original positions.
Wang Zhengyang could vaguely sense that as the Thunder Matrix circuitry extended along this critical armor plate, a faint "connection" was being established.
The Thunder Matrix's circuitry is essentially an "energy channel" and an "information channel." Once fully constructed and activated, it can not only defend against physical attacks but also potentially become the "tentacles" and "amplifiers" of his supernatural abilities. Imagine if he could use this matrix network covering the vehicle to perceive external threats more quickly and accurately, and even instantly project his mechanical affinity along the network to any point on the vehicle's surface for immediate enhancement or repair... then the Dragon Abyss would no longer be an ordinary armored train, but would become a true extension of his body and will, a mobile "mechanical fortress."
This prospect makes him willing to endure the mental strain of the present moment.
"Continue, second block." Wang Zhengyang closed his eyes again, his voice returning to its steady tone.
The laser head restarted, and the scorching light spot moved slowly and steadily across the metal surface, carving out the guarantee of future survival and weaving the veins of power growth.
As Chen Yishang watched this scene, seeing the intricate silver-gray lines extending gradually across the armor plating, and observing Wang Zhengyang's serene profile, an indescribable feeling welled up within him. He didn't understand what the Caldova engine was, nor did he fully comprehend all the principles of the Thunder Matrix, but he could see that what Wang Zhengyang was doing had far exceeded the scope of an "engineer" or "modification enthusiast."
This is more like... casting. Using technology, willpower, and some power he cannot comprehend, to forge a weapon, or rather, an ark, capable of withstanding unknown storms.
He silently adjusted the angle of the cooling gas to make the airflow cover the processing area more evenly, and then continued recording data. This was the only thing he could do at the moment, and it was what he was determined to do well. Beside this mysterious young man, and in this increasingly illogical "Longyuan" project, Chen Yishang vaguely sensed that he might be standing on the edge of some enormous change.
What he has to do is follow closely, learn, and then... witness.
At 4:50 p.m., as the setting sun began to tinge the ground with orange-red, casting long shadows through the high windows of the maintenance bay onto the floor filled with tools and equipment, the last section of wiring was etched onto the main armor plate of the front of vehicle A-01.
The laser head returned to its position, and the cooling system stopped humming. The cabin suddenly fell into an absolute silence, with only the low background noise of the ventilation system.
Wang Zhengyang opened his eyes, his body swaying almost imperceptibly. He immediately reached out to steady himself on the workbench beside him. His face was as pale as paper, the veins in his temples throbbed, and his vision blurred. The continuous work on five armor plates, especially the last one, A-01, with its high intensity and precision, had almost drained all his mental energy.
But as he looked at the armor plate before him—its surface covered with an extremely fine network of lines that shimmered with a dark gold hue under certain lighting, so intricate yet possessing a certain mathematical and physical beauty—a faint, satisfied smile still curved his lips.
"Test...all nodes." His voice was weak, but clear.
Chen Yishang was already prepared. He picked up the multimeter, its probes moving like precise woodpeckers, quickly tracing all 128 key test points marked on the drawing. With each touch, the instrument's reading remained stable within an extremely narrow range of excellence.
"All nodes tested!" Chen Yishang's voice was filled with barely suppressed excitement. "Line continuity 100%! Average resistance 0.068 ohms, maximum deviation 1.8%! Insulation performance all meets standards! Dr. Wang, it's a success! The data for this board... is better than all the previous ones!"
Wang Zhengyang nodded, took the support of the worktable, and slowly walked to the armor plate. He stretched out his right hand, without using any tools, and simply placed his palm gently on the cold, wire-covered metal surface.
Close your eyes.
This time, it's not about using superpowers to sense or repair, but about "listening".
In his mind, the armor plate came to life. The etched lines were no longer just grooves, but like rivers slowly flowing with a faint silver light. He could "sense" the potential flow of energy within this nascent network, and he could "sense" the harmonious rhythm of the resonance between the entire matrix network and the armor body.
More importantly, he felt a clearer and more stable "connection" between himself and this board than any he had ever experienced before. This board seemed to have become an "anchor point," a "node," in his realm of supernatural abilities. He could even vaguely sense that through this node, his consciousness could more smoothly "connect" to other parts of the vehicle that were physically connected to this board.
This is the deeper value of the Thunder Matrix beyond physical defense—it will become the bridge and neural network for the deep integration of the Caldova engine and the Longyuan, this "mechanical creation".
When he installs more of these "matrix armors" all over the Dragon Abyss, and when the entire train is covered by this energy-information network, then this steel behemoth will truly become an extension of his power and an embodiment of his will.
"Very good." Wang Zhengyang withdrew his hand, and his eyes, though still weary, burned with a fervent light deep within.
He turned to Chen Yishang and said, "That's enough for today. Archive the data, label the boards, and arrange installation tomorrow."
"Yes, Dr. Wang!" Chen Yishang responded loudly, looking at Wang Zhengyang's back, which was obviously exhausted but still straight, his heart was filled with respect, as well as more questions and expectations.
Wang Zhengyang didn't leave immediately. He walked to the window and looked at the Dragon Abyss, its silhouette clearly defined in the setting sun. There were still many empty spaces on the vehicle, waiting for him to forge the "Thunder Armor" himself.
Piece by piece, step by step.
Strength is accumulating, and defenses are being built.
When the end of the world arrives and thunder roars, this train will become a lightning bolt that tears through the darkness, and a sturdy shield that protects the survivors.
And all of this began today with these seemingly ordinary armor plates, which are inscribed with the future's trajectory.
He exhaled softly, and the white mist dissipated in the increasingly cold air.
There is still a lot of work to be done before the Dragon Abyss is fully covered with the Thunder Matrix.